Highlights

2007 was a pretty good year for Pittsburgh, PA's Black Moth Super Rainbow. They released the excellent, Plug Awards-nominated (Avant Album of The Year) Dandelion Gum (TMT Review) and received belated praise for their ‘06 collaboration with The Octopus Project, House Of Apples & Eyeballs (Graveface Records). They also toured a lot, including opening slots for The Flaming Lips.

While 2008 may have gotten off to a slow start (hey, it's only February), things are about to heat up soon (not weather-wise, especially if you live in Midwest USA, where it may happen in mid-April, at best). The first project comes from BMSR member Ken Fec, whose solo album, Kongmanivong (Graveface), comes out February 23 under the name Power Pill First. Meanwhile, the winners of the Plug (which, by its name, sounds like a bad thing) will be announced March 6, with the double vinyl version (+bonus track) of Dandelion Gum available around then, probably in time for the band's two-and-a-half week trek through the middle and western parts of the United States. If you are on the fence about going, keep in mind that the band has stated on their website that this will be the only tour BMSR does this year, because they "gotta work on a new record." An informed reader is a better scheduler.

On Tuesday, February 5, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi died at home in theNetherlands. Born some time between 1911 and 1918, Maharishi was thefounder of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement and is mostfamous for working with ‘60s luminaries like The Beatles and The BeachBoys, along with ‘60s goobers like Donovan. He taught Andy Kaufman,who is the real-life version of that guy whose wife Courtney Loveplayed in Man on the Moon. Even David Lynch became abeliever. In 1958, Maharishi introduced TM technique, which simplyinvolves devoting 20 minutes every day to closed-eye meditation whilereciting a mantra. The Indian-born guru established several schoolsfor teaching meditation, bringing in several million dollars. Afterhis hippie heyday, he became somewhat controversial when several ofhis students accused him of fraud for claiming he could teach them howto fly. Since the 1990s, Maharishi lived in relative seclusion in the Dutch village of Vlodrop due to poor health.

In cse you hven’t noticed, I hven’t been too ctive on TMT recently. Few weeks go I spilled bunch of wter on my keybord nd disbled few of the keys, not the lest of which re, uh, the letters t the beginning nd end of the lphbet. I keep sying I’m going to replce it, but I m both ly nd broke. I feel bd for not writing, though, so I will ttempt to write this Jeffrey Lewis story without using the letters I’m missing:

Jeffrey Lewis is going on tour. He is witty in lots of his songs. His lyrics often seem funny or cute on first listen, but I think there is true soul there, once you listen more deeply. If I were you, I would go see him perform. By doing so with the likes of Times New Viking, he is sure to grow in profile. Next time he comes to your town, you might not get to see him like this.

I thought this would be less difficult. Going for it showed me my own terrible limits in bright, unforgiving light. You’re welcome, Mr. Lewis:

Everybody likes The Decemberists, but I will tell you right now that no one likes The Decemberists more than fellow TMT writer Petya Romanov and I. We'll fucking die for Colin Meloy, and if we were intoxicated, we'd totally die for Chris Funk too. In fact, one time Petya saved Colin Meloy's life. You didn't know because he's just too god damn humble to tell anyone about it. Petya, I know how you feel about this story, but the masses need to know the truth!

...

It's been about two years now since the life-saving event occurred on Febuary 24 2006. Petya and I had just met in Portland, OR and were attending some of the many titty bars in the neighborhood. (We originally went to spend our money on Portland's amazing music scene, but after we discovered the incredible sex scene, we decided that our money would be better "invested" elsewhere.) It was probably about 9:30 PM when Petya pointed at his AAA Guide: XXX Edition and promptly decided our next stop. We rolled into George's Dancin' Bare around 9:40, and both of our jaws dropped -- but for two very different reasons. My gaze was immediately drawn to a brunette dancing on one of the poles closest to the bar, and I start heading over that way. Petya grabs my shoulder and yells, "Scout!" He then proceeds to grab my head and point it toward the most bad-ass thing I've ever seen: Indie rock god Colin Meloy was getting a fucking lap dance right there in George's Dancin' Bare, and Petya and I got to watch! Petya gets all giddy and takes out his autograph Sharpie, while I run over thinking of how I can score an interview with him.

"Colin Meloy!" we scream. He gets up without saying a word, the stripper tumbling to the ground. He starts to quickly walk out and proceeds to trip; as Meloy falls, his glasses fall off and his cellphone flings out of his hand. His glasses promptly get crushed by a passerby, while his cell phone begins chirping a polyphonic version of "Engine Driver." Meloy is on the ground pouting, and he's looking at his cellphone screen, but he can't see who's calling since the motherfucker is blind as a bat without those hip black-framed glasses. Petya picks up Meloy's phone and says, "Oh shit, dude, it says 'the ol' ball & chain.'" Meloy flips out and yells, "What? Give me my fucking phone." We can tell he's wasted out of his mind. Meloy tries playin' it cool and he proceeds to sweet talk his wife by saying "Hey Carson, how're you, hunny?" After about a minute, he ends the call and stands up, as if he's just received the biggest fucking buzz kill of his life. Petya notices the problem and asks Meloy if Carson's water had broken. Colin looks stunned, and he asks Petya if he's a doctor. Petya replies by saying, "No sir, I'm a music journalist." Meloy smiles and throws Petya his car keys.

Minutes later, we're in Meloy's Z28 with Petya at the wheel and Colin riding shotgun to the hospital. We're on the interstate, rushing toward the hospital as fast as Petya's driving skills can safely get us there. When we finally make it, Meloy looks like absolute shit. We try and clean him up; Petya takes off his own black-framed glasses and hands it to Meloy. Miraculously, Petya's prescription is the exact same as Meloy's! Colin gets out of the car and thanks us. As Meloy stumbles toward the hospital, I hop up to the driver's seat and Petya winks at me. I tell him he's done a great thing and high-five him. We drive off in Colin Meloy's car, listening to some unreleased Decemberist's material that Meloy was jamming to.

...

If you'd like to support the man that is Colin Meloy who's supporting his new solo live album, Colin Meloy Sings Live! (due in April on Kill Rock Stars), then go see him at one of the following shows. You can even pick up an exclusive Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke album! Who know, maybe he'll be wearing Petya's glasses?

So we’re kicking off TMT’s “Super Motha’ Fuckin’ Tuesday (on Wednesday)” "live"-blogging session with the formidable coverage of ABC (mainly because the other terrestrial stations ‘round here are still stuck on regular programs):

- 9:35 PM

An anchor opines that perhaps the youth vote will turn out “if we give them iPods.” Diane agrees smirking, “Yes, let’s keep raising the stakes. Pizza, [then I’ll raise you one chortle! with] pizza and toppings.” You might as well take me to Chuck E Cheese; that way, when we bring video games into the equation, we won’t have to travel far.

- 9:55 PM

A commercial for Oprah’s Mindfuck 2k8: “Give away this sum money! Wait, you’ve won our arbitrary contest, here it is back! Wait, you have to give away again, sucker!” Okay, so I made that last part up, but c’mon... please Guild writers come back. I can’t steal jokes off Conan’s ad libs.

- 9:56 PM

The local news bulletins are so cute. But then they have much less time to fill than the national anchors, so there’s less stumbling. The cuteness evens out.

- 10:01 PM

Charlie Gibson just held back a burp while calling Oklahoma for John McCain.

- 10:07 PM

For a moment we just heard an ABC producer say, “They’re holding up a sign,” which doesn’t really explain why a professional camera crew can’t find a spot without a placard blocking Mike Huckabee’s eerily greased visage. Why are his eyes 95% pupil? (1. Shark DNA 2. He’s goes to the same CVS as Rush)

- 10:22 PM

The guy from Law and Order is on a commercial. Isn’t he running? I am confused.

>>> Switch to NBC:

- 10:35 PM

Talk of John McCain’s Maverick-ness. Still, he don’t compare to the realMaverick.

Let's get this straight. Since June 4, 2007, when Maths + English was released in the United Kingdom, those on the other side of the pond have been unable to get their grubby hands on an actual copy of the album without paying import prices. Granted, you could purchase the album digitally, but something tells me that the cross section between Dizzee Rascal fan and the endangered species that is the record-buying public puts some stock into a physical manifestation of their $14.99. And they wonder why we pirate music.

So, while "Pussyole (Old Skool)" still makes me feel unsettled, I'm proud to announce that almost one year later, on April, 29, 2008, Maths + English will wash ashore at a United States record store near you. Featuring the album's UK-repping guest spots from Alex Turner of The Arctic Monkeys and Lily Allen, as well as Texas' finest UGK (R.I.P. Pimp C), the album will also feature new tracks "G.H.E.T.T.O.," "Driving," and a "Where's Da G's" remix by Def Jux head-honcho El-P, whose label is responsible for bringing Americans this long-delayed LP.

It's 2008, my friends, and this year's Bonnaroo is headlined by... Pearl Jam and Metallica? I guess! Scheduled to take place June 13-15 on what many people are reporting to be a 700-acre (I counted 689 acres) farm in Manchester, Tennessee, the 2008 Bonnaroo Arts and Music Festival will surely be a blast. How do I know? Why just check out these sorta kinda sometimes not really TMT-relevant acts scheduled to perform: Battles, The Fiery Furnaces, Jose Gonzalez, My Morning Jacket, Talib Kweli, Broken Social Scene, and Sigur Rós.

Then, of course, Robert Plant will be there performing, not in the much-rumored-about Led Zeppelin reunion, but with Alison Krauss. There will be a Led Zeppelin cover band called Lez Zeppelin though.

Wikipedia: Destroyer (pronounced "destroy her") is a hatred or strong prejudice against women. Those holding Destroyeristic beliefs can be of either sex. Although Destroyer is sometimes confused with misanthropy, the terms are not interchangeable, for the latter refers more generally to the hatred of humanity. A concept related to Destroyer is gynophobia, the fear of women, but not necessarily hatred of them. The obsolete Latin language term horror feminae (literally "fear of women) may be used as a synonym both for Destroyer and gynophobia.

Destroyer is considered by most feminist theories as an implicit motivation of political ideologies that justify and maintain the subordination of women to men. Such ideologies are typically called sexism, by analogy with racism and antisemitism. Destroyer is, therefore, often associated with anti-woman sexism, as misandry is associated with anti-man sexism.

Destroyer's anti-feminist concept album, Trouble In Dreams (working title was Women Suck), comes out March on Merge. Yep, March on Merge.

Check out Amazon's vinyl section here. I'm sure you saw the front page and cringed, or maybe you did a search and were disappointed. Either way, their shitty selection's not the point. Instead, Amazon's new vinyl push is yet another sign that vinyl is penetrating the mainstream again. Even corporate "indie"-style stores like Urban Outfitters sell turntables to hipsters. Shitty USB fuckin' devices with plastic platters, but turntables nonetheless.

But enough about the resurgence of popularity in collecting vinyl; let's talk about what to put on that turntable.

Suicide Squeeze, a Seattle label whose first release was a 7-inch and who has braggin' rights to say it has worked with Modest Mouse, Elliott Smith, and Minus the Bear, has just announced a new 7-inch series. The first artist is HEALTH, followed by Coathangers, School of Seven Bells, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and Dave Bazan (Pedro the Lion) sprinkled throughout the year. The Squeeze says it will be announcing more releases shortly.

Let's just hope you play them on a turntable that doesn't look like this.